The Portland Diamond Project (PDP) apparently needs a bit more time to determine whether their chosen home for a new baseball stadium will meet their needs.
As we wrote about in September, the leadership team, which includes former Nike executive Craig Cheek and R&B superstar Ciara Wilson, picked Terminal 2, a dormant marine cargo depot on NW Front, as the ideal location to break ground on a new ballpark. Its ultimate goal: Getting Major League Baseball (MLB) to relocate a baseball franchise to the city, or open up an expansion team in Portland.
Since November 2018, the PDP has had development rights for the location and has been paying the Port of Portland $37,500 each month during this due diligence period. PDP announced Wednesday that a new deal struck with the Port will continue those monthly payments through May 2020.
According to a press release, the reason for this extension is to allow the PDP to “conduct a transportation study to help better understand the constraints and opportunities related to a future ballpark and mixed-use district at Terminal 2.”
“As far as we know,” the release continues, “to date, no public or private entities have conducted a formal study regarding traffic and transportation options to and from the Terminal 2 area for the purposes of a development this large. As we evaluate the overall feasibility of Terminal 2 as a ballpark site, this is critical information to have.”
Currently, only one bus line serves that stretch of NW Front, and cars and bikes would have to contend with the regular traffic generated by the industrial area surrounding Terminal 2. PDP leadership has floated plenty of ideas including water taxis and a new bridge over the Willamette, but this study, which will be undertaken by an independent consultant, will give them the clearest picture on transportation options for that part of town. They expect to have the results of the study by the spring of 2020.